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Reminder - Anchoring in Malaysian Waters off East Johor
ALERT27 APR 2021
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Updated 26 August 2021
Over the years, several vessels entered with Gard have been detained and fined by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency for anchoring in East Johor waters without the requisite permissions from the authorities. The trend has been on the increase this year.
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Prepare for tougher at-berth emissions reductions in California
ALERT15 APR 2021
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California’s new regulation designed to further reduce pollution from vessels berthed at its ports is now in force. While compliance by visiting vessels is not required until 2023, the practices, procedures and equipment needed for compliance could be quite extensive and costly, and the preparatory work to ensure timely compliance should not be postponed.
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China’s Yangtze River Protection Law is now in force
ALERT08 APR 2021
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A new Chinese environmental law that bans the carriage of a range of highly toxic and dangerous chemicals in the Yangtze River Basin took effect on 1 March 2021. Violation of the law may lead to substantial fines and ship operators trading in this area should carry out appropriate due diligence to check whether any cargoes carried are on the lists of banned chemicals.
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Beware of Indonesia's immigration law
ALERT17 MAR 2021
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Seafarers entering or leaving the Indonesian Territory without valid entry and exit stamps in their travel documents may face substantial fines, and even imprisonment.
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There is never a wrong time to revisit your enclosed space entry procedures
ALERT02 MAR 2021
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Aspects of this article have been updated to take into account lessons learned from recent enclosed space incidents involving shore personnel. The updated version of the article can be found here.
Recurring enclosed space incidents serve as a stark reminder that entry into such spaces without following proper procedures can result in seafarers being killed or seriously injured, warns a major flag state.
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‘Bridge Cards’ for use in high-risk areas
ALERT10 FEB 2021
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Updated 27 July 2022
A set of quick reference 'Bridge Cards’ can be a useful safety aide memoire for masters and crews on vessel transiting a high-risk area - particularly during times of tension caused by piracy attacks or other security threats.
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Maritime security recommendations for operations in the Persian Gulf
ALERT07 JAN 2021
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Industry organizations remind ship operators and seafarers operating in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea to remain vigilant and listen for military warnings at all times.
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Loading soya beans in Brazil – practical guidance
ALERT16 DEC 2020
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Our local correspondent Representacoes Proinde Ltda. has published a comprehensive guide on the soya bean trade in Brazil and we recommend it as a useful source of reference and practical information.
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New immigration controls for seafarers entering Brazil
ALERT10 DEC 2020
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A valid Seafarer Identity Document issued in accordance with ILO Convention 185 is the only “maritime identity document” that will be accepted as proof of the bearer’s eligibility for visa waiver by the Brazilian immigration authorities.
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Do not switch off the AIS in Nigerian waters
ALERT16 OCT 2020
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Despite the elevated piracy risk in the Gulf of Guinea, ships operating in the region should maintain their automatic identification systems (AIS) in operation at all times.
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US EPA proposes new vessel discharge standards
ALERT13 OCT 2020
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Updated 17 November 2020
When the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act was signed into US law in December 2018, the US Environmental Protection Agency was given two years to develop new national discharge standards for vessels that are at least as stringent as the discharge requirements established in its 2013 Vessel General Permit scheme.
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GPS interference and jamming on the increase
ALERT29 SEP 2020
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Ships have reported an increasing number of cases of significant GPS interference and jamming in recent months. The geographic areas with more than one reported incident include the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and multiple Chinese ports. This interference and jamming have resulted in loss of or inaccurate GPS signals and has affected vessels’ navigation and communication equipment.
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Expected rise in the number of fishing vessels in Chinese waters - Update
ALERT17 AUG 2020
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As the seasonal fishing ban comes to an end in China, shipowners and managers are advised to take additional precautions when planning a voyage to and from Chinese ports due to the increased number of fishing vessels in Chinese waters. This is an update to the alert issued on this topic in 2017.
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USCG releases new ballast water management reporting form
ALERT13 AUG 2020
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On 20 July 2020 the United States Coast Guard adopted revisions to its Ballast Water Management (BWM) Reporting Form. The new reporting form replaces all previous versions and the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse (NBIC) will no longer accept older versions of the form.
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Reducing the risk of collisions at sea
ALERT11 AUG 2020
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Failure to maintain a proper lookout and to take early avoiding action are common contributing factors to collisions, say Australian authorities.
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AMSA inspection campaign to focus on stowage and securing of containers
ALERT27 JUL 2020
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In response to several incidents of containers being lost into the sea, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has initiated a focused inspection campaign on container stowage and securing arrangements, both fixed and portable, that will run from 1 August 2020 to 31 October 2020.
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The importance of manifold and first foot samples at load ports
ALERT24 JUL 2020
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Following the standard tanker practices of sampling when loading petroleum products could save owners millions of dollars in claims and save loss of time and ensuing losses for charterers and shipowners. When it comes to dealing with liquid cargo contamination claims, majority of the losses could have been avoided if the vessel had followed basic tanker seamanship practice.
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Emergency preparedness on the PSC agenda
ALERT15 JUL 2020
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Muster lists lacking sufficient detail was one of the most notable deficiencies found by port state control regimes during their concentrated inspection campaign on emergency systems in 2019.
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Turkey – a case of undeclared bunker
ALERT09 JUL 2020
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Undeclared/excess bunkers can be considered a criminal act by Turkish customs officials with the ship's crew being accused of smuggling.
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Be prepared to document carbon emissions during PSC inspections
ALERT30 JUN 2020
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By 30 June 2020, ships that used EU ports in 2019 must carry onboard a document certifying that they have fulfilled their obligations under the EU regulation for monitoring, reporting and verification of CO2 emissions for the 2019 reporting period. The comparable deadline under the global IMO data collection system was 31 May 2020.
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